BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The doors opened on the inaugural London Bike Show yesterday, but show organiser Vos Media is already laying plans for the debut’s follow-up next year.
Sales director Frazer Clifford told BikeBiz that the show, which runs alongside the London Bike Show and the Outdoors Show, is just the start, and that major players from the industry not exhibiting had been scouting the show out and were likely to sign up to the 2012 London Bike Show.
"The London Bike Show is here to stay," confirmed Clifford. "We’ll be here from Thursday January 12th next year.
"A lot of exhibitors said they were pleasantly surprised by the show," the sales director told BikeBiz. "They came in with no expectations because it is a new show – and it’s got a different dynamic to other shows because of the Boat and Outdoors Show."
"By 12 o’clock on the opening day I’d spoken to four other key players in the industry and they said they wanted to sign up for 2012. And judging by the feedback about 80 per cent of exhibitors will rebook before the end of the show.
"We were guestimating that we would get around 20,000 visitors to the bike specific part of the show. The Outdoors show gets from 30,000 to 40,000 and the boat show historically gets 100,000 visitors, so the footfall through the Bike Show is going to be about 50,000. It isn’t a specific show like TCR, it’s all about balance – and I think we’ve pulled it off."
Tomorrow (Saturday) is expected to see the highest attendance, with the show selling six times as many advance tickets for the day.
Vos Media added that the 2012 event will include more show features, particularly Olympics themed activities.
